Health · People doing good

38 years later, burned baby meets nurse who helped save her

Bob CollinsBob Collins Sep 29, 2015
7

Isn’t this a lovely picture?

In this 1977 photo provided by Albany Medical Center, nurse Susan Berger cuddles infant Amanda Scarpinati, who had been severely burned by a steam vaporizer at home, in the pediatric unit at Albany Medical Center in Albany N.Y. Scarpinati kept the hospital’s annual report that published the photo and was comforted by the picture when she was bullied for her burn scars as a child. She recently used social media to learn Berger’s identity so she could thank her for her loving care. Albany Medical Center has arranged for the two women to meet on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. (Carl Howard/Albany Medical Center via AP)

Nurse Susan Berger always wondered whatever happened to the baby she cared for in 1977. The badly-burned baby grew up to be Amanda Scarpinati, who always wondered whatever happened to that nurse.

Today (Tuesday) they met each other after Scarpinati tracked her down with help from people on Facebook.

Nurse Susan Berger, left, and Amanda Scarpinati hug during a news conference at Albany Medical Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Albany, N.Y. Scarpinati, who suffered severe burns as an infant, is finally getting the chance to thank Berger who cared for her, thanks to a social media posting that revealed the identity of the nurse in 38-year-old photos. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) Nurse Susan Berger, left, and Amanda Scarpinati pose with a copy of a 1977 Albany Medical Center annual report during a news conference at Albany Medical Center, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Albany, N.Y. Scarpinati, who suffered severe burns as an infant, is finally getting the chance to thank Berger who cared for her, thanks to a social media posting that revealed the identity of the nurse in 38-year-old photos. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Scarpinati, who was three months old in the photo, also had to endure years of bullying. But she kept the picture to remind her of the one person who treated her with loving care.